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Gibson spares don't necessarily match genuine Gibson parts fitted to their guitars
I currently own 4 Les Pauls. A '97 Classic Plus, an '03 Standard, a '21 Gold Top and a '21 Custom Shop R9 ('59 reissue). All of them have exactly the same design of top hat knobs. The only very slight variance is that the gold of the Custom Shop reissue's knobs is a very slightly different shade of gold. But they all feature indented numbers, of the same colour and size, and look identical.
I bought two sets of Gibson knobs to replace a few cracked knobs on my older Les Pauls. These 'official' replacement knobs look nothing like the original Gibson knobs from either my '97, '03, or 2x '21s. The colour of the knob and of the numbers is wrong. The size of the numbers is wrong. If I wanted any old cheap top hat knob I could have bought them from ebay from a far east supplier. I bought Gibson knobs because I expected the Gibson knobs to look like the real Gibson knobs I already have. Now I know that Gibson will sell spares/parts that are nothing like their own genuine parts fitted to their own guitars.
Now I realise why there is a market in more expensive, independent, third party manufacturers of specialist replacement parts for Gibsons, that are not made by Gibson, but actually look authentically like the real Gibson parts.
I bought two sets of Gibson knobs to replace a few cracked knobs on my older Les Pauls. These 'official' replacement knobs look nothing like the original Gibson knobs from either my '97, '03, or 2x '21s. The colour of the knob and of the numbers is wrong. The size of the numbers is wrong. If I wanted any old cheap top hat knob I could have bought them from ebay from a far east supplier. I bought Gibson knobs because I expected the Gibson knobs to look like the real Gibson knobs I already have. Now I know that Gibson will sell spares/parts that are nothing like their own genuine parts fitted to their own guitars.
Now I realise why there is a market in more expensive, independent, third party manufacturers of specialist replacement parts for Gibsons, that are not made by Gibson, but actually look authentically like the real Gibson parts.
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C
Good Replacements
The Gibson Bell Knobs are very good replacements.
They do fit on nearly every Gibson guitar with the standard pot shafts. They fit very well and are produced in good quality. The numbers are not (!!!) impressed, which is not historically correct for custom shop Les Pauls.
They do fit on nearly every Gibson guitar with the standard pot shafts. They fit very well and are produced in good quality. The numbers are not (!!!) impressed, which is not historically correct for custom shop Les Pauls.
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A
Original Gibson product
Thomann shipped these to me when the Gibson I ordered came without one of the knobs (!). They are the original Gibson, so a perfect fit for the guitar. Not much more to say there.
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e
Made my Les Paul Traditional more vintage looking
I got them, plus the knob pointers, so I can give my Gibson Les Paul Traditional a more vintage look. Success! Target achieved and my guitar looks 100 times prettier, plus the feel of the "top hats" is nicer, for me.
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M
Great product. Great fit.
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C
Great look and feel.
Bought them for my LP to look more traditional but soon discovered they also felt much better. Very happy with them overall, recommended
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P
Good quality and vintage looking
Good quality and vintage looking pot knobs, improved the look of my LP. Easy to install.
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A
Not to Gibson factory specifications and poor paint quality.
Physically, the knobs will correctly fit any pot with fine-knurled 24-spline shafts.
There are 2 problems however:
1. The numbers on these knobs are not embossed like the knobs on new Gibson factory issued guitars.
2. The workmanship in painting the bottom of the knobs is generally poor as there are bubbles in the gold paint as well as areas where the paint has not covered the underside surface of the knobs completely.
There are 2 problems however:
1. The numbers on these knobs are not embossed like the knobs on new Gibson factory issued guitars.
2. The workmanship in painting the bottom of the knobs is generally poor as there are bubbles in the gold paint as well as areas where the paint has not covered the underside surface of the knobs completely.
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A
The knobs I expected
They fit perfectly on my Les Paul. What else I can say, they just do the job. Good price and good quality.
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C
very good knobs
plastic feeling, but they work better and faster then what i had before on my Les Paul. Good clearance from the guitar body, allowing the necessary space for smooth rolling.
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